About a Boy

About a Boy (2002) starring Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, and Toni Collette.

Before...well first off, I was intrigued that the Weitz brothers were taking on such a beloved Hornby book. These are the brothers who brought American Pie into the world, so to hear that they were doing this made me nervous. On the other hand having read the book I was excited to see how it panned out....so a mixture of feelings were present...

Will Freeman (Grant) is a hip Londoner who one day realizes that his friends are all involved with the responsibilities of married life and that leaves him alone in the cold. Passing himself off as a single father, he starts to meet a string of single mums, confident in his ability to leave them behind when they start to ask for a commitment. But Will's hope of a continued bachelorhood is interrupted when he meets 12-year old Marcus (Hoult), in many ways his complete opposite. So he begins his journey of growing up as he helps Marcus deal with issues surrounding his mother (Collette).

My wife's view..."Loaf of bread, need I say more?? I love it! Everytime I watch it I love it. Insightful, even wise, funny, beautiful. Every scene is a gem. Music is lovely. Everyone is lovely. It is Hugh Grants best role ever. Let's watch it again. ★★★★★" Ladies and Gentlemen...my wife!!

Where to start...this is the first film for me where Hugh Grant isn't the annoying idiot that he is in most of his films. He is not the foppish fool that he is in other films. Grant in this film is an arrogant obnoxious prat of a man to start with. Completely self centred and horrible and this is a really refreshing role for Grant, it is a real shame, in my opinion, that he hasn't done more films with this type of character...instead he has been type cast. Hoult is an inspiration in his role as Marcus. Refreshingly honest and brilliant.

The plot also is fantastic, that though isn't due to anyone other than Nick Hornby in my view. His book is brilliant, and the film changes certain sections of it but it doesn't lose the essence of the book in my view.

The other stellar performer of this film is the music. The soundtrack is written by Damon Gough, otherwise known as Badly Drawn Boy. It is rare that one artist is chosen to write AND perform all the tracks of a soundtrack, however as my wife says "it is perfect as it gives it some flow". The film moves from one scene to another fantastically. You could just close your eyes and listen to the film, the soundtrack is that good.

And so to my final words on the film. Fantastic acting, wonderful music and based on a brilliant book. Not the best film in the world in my view, which from the noises emenating from my wife means she completely disagrees with me. Not the best, but still up there...which leads me to give this film...

★★★★☆